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The word neurodiversity was coined in 1998 by Judy Singer who was the daughter of a holocaust survivor. It is more than a word but rather a paradigm that people with autism, dyslexia, dyspraxia and ADHD are not illnesses just differences. What is the Torah approach to this issue? Practical questions arising from this would be:

  1. Should we have the above people in mind during the Bracha of Refoeinu?
  2. Would these labels need to be declared for shidduch purposes?
  3. At what point is autism so severe that the person is halachically not considered to have daas?
B First
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  • Number 2 is not a nafka mina. Some differences need to be declared for shidduch purposes and some illnesses don't. – Double AA Mar 20 '22 at 00:32
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    Number 3 is not a nafka mina. Whether or not someone has daas is a question of fact and doesn't depend on what label we attach to the reason they don't have it. – Double AA Mar 20 '22 at 00:33
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    Is number 1 a halachic question (can something that isn't technically an illness be included in that blessing or should it be put in shema koleinu?) or a hashkafic question (should we pray to change something that we might want to change even if Judy Singer labels it with the term "diversity"?)? – Double AA Mar 20 '22 at 00:41
  • Why should they be in mind during Rofeinu they are not illnesses to be cured – ezra Mar 20 '22 at 00:52
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    @ezra Whether or not they ought be labeled illnesses is exactly the point at question here (and as with most labels it has no objective answer). Whether or not "curing" is the label you'd choose, and whether or not it's biologically possible, halacha should still have something to say about how someone who wants to pray to change such a person could do so. – Double AA Mar 20 '22 at 00:55
  • @DoubleAA That would defeat the purpose of calling it "neurodivergent" as this implies no change or want for change is needed such people are simply different – ezra Mar 20 '22 at 06:51
  • @ezra not sure why you're telling me that. – Double AA Mar 20 '22 at 12:21
  • Interesting question. First, we do say "Refuas Hanefesh AND Refus Haguf", so we do pray for mental "illnesses". Second, We should keep in mind that we're talking about a wide spectrum rather than clear-cut definitions. Third, all Rabbis eventually align with accepted medical norms in their private and public rulings. – Al Berko Mar 22 '22 at 08:31
  • Please post the last point as a standalone question. – Al Berko Mar 22 '22 at 08:31
  • @BFirst "What is the Torah approach to this issue?" Sam Levine (a professor at Touro Law) wrote a book of interest on this topic: "Was Yosef on the Spectrum? Understanding Joseph Through Torah, Midrash, and Classical Jewish Sources" – Deuteronomy Mar 22 '22 at 16:04
  • Thanks very much for your answers especially Deuteronomy. I had heard of the book you mentioned previously but hadn't made the connection to my question. – B First Mar 22 '22 at 18:33
  • Just to explain further my original question. In the Brocha of refoeinu we want the illness to go away completely. Perhaps the neurodivergent labels should be considered a combination of middos and middos we don't want to destroy but rather direct correctly. – B First Mar 22 '22 at 18:36
  • See this website which lists the struggles as well as common positive traits of people with the various neurodivergent labels. https://exceptionalindividuals.com/neurodiversity/ It would be really nice to see people investigate the spiritual consequences of these good and bad traits as applied to Torah. – B First Mar 22 '22 at 18:38

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